Roulette Terms

The game of roulette is easy to play but like any casino game, there are terms that a player needs to be familiar with before they try spinning the wheel. Casino players, whether professional or recreational, need to equip themselves accordingly. A sure way to lose money is by playing a game that you do not know all of the rules and terms. The house advantage for American roulette is twice that of European roulette.

Another reason you need to be familiar with roulette terms is because the game of roulette, maybe more than any other casino game, has an image of elegance and sophistication. Many roulette players style themselves as roulette connoisseurs. So unless you want to embarrass yourself in front of such players, it would benefit you to learn the proper terms.

Roulette Definitions

American Wheel – A version of roulette where the wheel has 38 slots with numbers 0, 00, and 1-36. An American roulette wheel has a house edge of 5.26%.

European Wheel – A version of roulette where the wheel has 37 slots, numbered 0 through 36. The European roulette wheel has a house edge of 2.7%.

Ball – The small, white plastic ball that is spun in the opposite direction as the roulette wheel. The ball lands in a slot during each spin to determine the winner.

Bet on the Layout – This is a wager that is placed anywhere on the numbers portion of the roulette table.

Block Betting – A set of numbers on one section of the wheel that are bet on in mass.

Carr – This is a French term that means a Corner Bet.

Cheval – This is another French term that means a Split Bet.

Colonne – A French term that refers to a Column Bet.

Column Bet – A roulette table is divided into three columns. A Column Bet is a bet on a combination of 12 numbers at the same time. This kind of bet has a payout of 2 to 1.

Croupier – The casino employee that runs the table and spins the wheel. They are responsible for determining the winners after each spin and collecting bets from the losers.

Corner Bet – This is a gamble on four numbers.

Dozen Bet – One of three dozen numbers on the layout.

En prison - French term that literally means "in prison." This is a rule applied to even-money wagers only. When the ball falls in the zero slot, some online casinos will allow the player to either take back half of their bet or leave it (in prison) for another spin. In the second case, if the ball again falls into the zero slot on the next spin, then the player’s entire wager is lost.

Even-Odd Bet – Thi stype of bet pays 1-1 if the winning number is Even or Odd. This is an 18 number wager on the outside.

Five Number Bet – This is common among American roulette wheels. It's a bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, & 3.

French Wheel - A wheel having only one zero. The French wheel is generally found in European casinos.

High or Low Bet – This is an even-money wager, either for the top half (numbers 19-36) or the bottom half (numbers1-18) of the numbers. It is also an outside bet.

Inside Bet - A bet on a specific number anywhere on the layout.
La partage – This is a rule similar to the En prison rule, only in this case the player loses half their bet and doesn't have the option of leaving their betfor the next spin. La partage refers to outside even-money wagers such as Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even and even applies when the result is zero.

Martingale System – This is a well-known system for roulette that dates back over 100 years. When using this system, a player doubles their bet after each loss until they either wins or run out of money.

Neighbors - The numbers to the immediate left & right of the winning number slot.

Orphans – A common term used in European casinos. It refers to a bet on 3 specific numbers 6, 34 & 17 which are neighbors on the wheel but far apart on the layout.

Orphelins – This is another term commonly heard in European casinos. It's a bet on a specific group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel which are neighbors on the wheel but separate on the layout.

Outside Bet – This refers to a bet on 1 to 1 even-money (red/black, odd/even, high/low) and 2 to 1 (dozen or column) payouts.

Parlay/Press – This is a term that describes a player leaving their previous-round winnings on top of their current wager.

Payout - The amount of money won by a player and paid by the casino.

Red-Black Bet – This is an 18-number bet which has a pay off of 1-1.

Run – A series of like results such as four red or five odd.

Sixainne – A French term that refers to a 6 line bet.

Six line Bet – This is a bet on 6 numbers at the same time.

Slots – The numbered sections of the roulette wheel that hold the ball.

Special Line Bet – This is a bet on the first five numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.

Split Bet - A bet on 2 adjoining numbers.

Straight Up Bet - A bet on any single number.

Street Bet - A bet on 3 numbers in a line.

Square or Quarter Bet – A bet on any four numbers in a square.

Tiers du cylindre – This is a French term commonly used in European casinos. It refers to a bet on a particular group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel which are neighbors on the layout.

Toke - A tip or gratuity that a player gives to the dealer.

Trio Bet - A combination wager on 3 numbers at the same time.

Voisins du Zero – A French term heard in European casinos. It is a wager on a particular group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel neighboring the zero number.

Wheel Checks - Special unmarked chips which are used only at roulette tables.

Zero, Double-Zero - Green in color. Players may bet the same way as numbers 1-36. Pays 35 to 1.

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